These spinach ricotta stuffed shells are super easy to make and loaded with creamy ricotta and spinach then smothered in tomato sauce. They're the perfect vegetarian weeknight dinner!
These spinach stuffed shells have been one of my favorite comfort food recipes for years, and I always make them around Christmas time because they're red and green! They've always been a crowd pleaser with both adults and kids!
You might also like this Tuscan chicken orzo or these baked Italian meatballs!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few ingredients to make these spinach ricotta stuffed shells!
Jumbo Pasta Shells - This recipe makes 16 stuffed shells which is ½ a box. So if you want to use the whole box and make 32 shells, just double the filling recipe and you'll need a little extra tomato sauce.
Ricotta Cheese - Full-fat whole milk ricotta is best for stuffed shells because it's less runny and has a richer, creamier flavor!
Egg - The egg helps bind the filling so it won't leak out of the shells, but it isn't super important so you can leave it out if you prefer.
Frozen Spinach - Make sure the spinach is fully thawed and all the excess water is squeezed out. Otherwise you'll end up with a watery filling. If you'd prefer to use fresh spinach, you'll need 4-5 cups to cook down.
Mozzarella - You can use either bagged shredded mozzarella or slices of fresh mozzarella on top.
Tomato Sauce - Sometimes I like making my own homemade tomato sauce, but sometimes jarred sauce is just so much easier! My favorite jarred sauces are Michaels of Brooklyn and Rao's, but you can use whatever you prefer!
Herbs & Spices - I like to use red pepper flakes, nutmeg, and whatever fresh herbs I have on hand (like basil, thyme, or oregano), but you can adjust the seasonings to your taste.
Fresh Pesto - This is totally optional, but I love garnishing these spinach stuffed shells with a little homemade pesto! You can also add ¼ cup of pesto to the filling itself.
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Variations
Meat - If you want to add some meat to your stuffed shells, add ½ pound of cooked ground beef or Italian sausage to the ricotta filling!
More Veggies - If you want some extra veggies, you can add 1 cup of chopped broccoli florets or chopped zucchini to the spinach while it's cooking!
How to Make Stuffed Shells
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cook the jumbo shells according to package directions but reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Drain and then rinse the shells with cold water until their completely cool and then lightly drizzle with a little olive oil (this helps the shells not stick together).
Drain the thawed spinach and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Then add in the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and sauté until softened and beginning to brown. Add in the drained spinach and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, parmesan, herbs, and spices. Then fold in the spinach mixture until fully incorporated. Set aside.
Pour about half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a medium 2 quart baking dish. Set the rest aside.
Fill each jumbo pasta shell with about 2-3 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta mixture. Then arrange the filled shells in the baking dish.
Pour the remaining tomato sauce over top of the shells and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
*For photo purposes I didn't completely cover the shells in sauce and cheese so that you can still see them. But I highly recommend drowning them in sauce and using a lot more cheese!
Bake at 375°F for 25-35 minutes or until the sauce is bubby and the cheese is melted.
Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh pesto if desired. Serve immediately.
Baking Dishes for Stuffed Shells
This recipe only makes 16 stuffed shells, you don't need a big 9x13 inch baking dish. A smaller 2 quart baking dish is the perfect size (like a square 9x9 inch dish, a 11x7 inch baking dish, or oval baking dish).
However, if you want to double the recipe a 9x13 inch baking dish is the way to go!
Recipe FAQ's
Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The shells heat up nicely in the microwave!
Yes! Fully assemble the stuffed shells in your baking dish, cover tightly, and store in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. Just be sure to let the baking dish come up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking so it doesn't crack!!
Yes! Assemble the stuffed shells in a freezer safe baking dish (preferably one with a lid) and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight then let the baking dish come up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking so it doesn't crack!!
Yes! To double the recipe use an entire box of jumbo shells, double the recipe for the ricotta filling, and baking in a 9x13 inch dish. You might want/need a little extra tomato sauce but shouldn't need to fully double it.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, optional
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, optional
Shells
- 16 jumbo pasta shells
- 16 ounces pasta sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- fresh pesto, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cook the jumbo shells according to package directions but reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Drain and then rinse the shells with cold water until their completely cool and then lightly drizzle with a little olive oil (this helps the shells not stick together). [This recipe makes 16 stuffed shells which is ½ a box. So if you want to use the whole box and make 32 shells, just double the filling recipe and you'll need a little extra tomato sauce.]
- Drain the thawed spinach and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
- In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Then add in the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and sauté until softened and beginning to brown. Add in the drained spinach and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, basil, and thyme. Then fold in the spinach mixture until fully incorporated. Set aside.
- Pour about half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a medium 2 quart baking dish. Set the rest aside.
- Fill each jumbo pasta shell with about 2-3 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta mixture. Then arrange the filled shells in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining tomato sauce over top of the shells and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 375°F for 25-35 minutes or until the sauce is bubby and the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh pesto if desired. Serve immediately.
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The shells heat up nicely in the microwave!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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